


You Were My Dream

by bisexualcallum



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam is a dream worker, Allura is stresssed, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Siblings, M/M, Matt smokes weed, Mutual Pining, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Tags May Change, Trauma, Warnings May Change, broganes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-08-29 15:59:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16747066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualcallum/pseuds/bisexualcallum
Summary: Adam has a strange job.He goes into people's dreams and makes their life a little better.However, when Shiro, Adam's latest client, is showing different signs than he's never seen before.





	1. The Good Kind | Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of warning to this!
> 
> This fic will deal a bit with the pressure of sex, past relationships, and trauma. The fic will not be JUST that but it should be noted that if those make you uncomfortable then please don't read. 
> 
> Other than that! Please enjoy!
> 
> Add me on twitter @bisexualcallum for updates and give me some feedback!!!

Adam screwed his rusty key into the doorknob of his apartment, jiggling it a bit and pushing with force before the door creaked open. He sighed and took off his hat to run a tan hand through his tawny hair. He passed by the mirror in his house and cringed. 

He looked absolutely exhausted. Night school does that to you. Well, that and his side job. Adam adjusted his thin glasses and rubbed at the dark circles forming under his eyes. He turned away from the unsightly reflection and pulled his maroon jumper over his head, ruffling his hair even more. He kicked his shoes off, discarding the rest of his clothes as walked to his bedroom and threw himself on the bed. He laid sprawled out, his hands on his stomach and stared at the dark ceiling.

“Goodnight.”, he said to no one.

 

XXX

 

Adam’s eyes shot open to a white pod, one he hadn’t woken up to in a long time. He pushed at it with one hand, his now white long sleeve piling up at his shoulder. He looked around the completely white room only separated by the shapes and shadows of hundreds of other pods stacked neatly beside each other. He crawled out and walked until he came upon a simple wood door with a silver handle. He opened it and walked into The Hub. Hundreds of moving pictures flashed in the darkroom as hundreds of people sat in desks, filing furiously into the different dream cabinets. He watched his white attire flush away and become a deep maroon suit. He adjusted his glasses and headed towards his section's host, Lance. 

Adam didn't exactly have a normal job. 

He was the equivalent of what was a dream demon except he was not a demon. His job was to delve into people's dreams and essentially perform their dreams. He was like a mythical actor. He had gotten the job the same way he had just woken up. 

He had fallen asleep after a truly awful day and woke up in the white pod room. When he found the exit after going through a mild panic attack where a woman in a light pink dress greeted him. She had beautiful white hair and striking cyan eyes. Her dark skin was covered by he could make out white lines around her neck and fingertips. She had pink triangles shining brightly under her eyes. She explained to him that he was chosen to go into people who desperately needed happiness dreams and act out whatever they wanted. 

After the woman, Allura, explained that he shouldn't question how this all works too much because his head might explode and offered him 10,000$ a month, Adam accepted.

All of Adam’s “clients” had been elderly men and women. They had all been really kind people but now at an old age, they rarely had people in their life. Adam filled the hole that the lack of people in their life couldn't. In their dreams, they were young and could run for miles. In their dreams, he would take the form as someone they loved whether it was their best friend or their lover or even their kids. Adam had to admit that he loved it. He loved seeing them smile and be able to live so freely before they passed. That was the worst part of his job. When he'd fall asleep expecting to wake up in a field of daisies with his new friend and instead wake up in the white room. He leaves and Lance would tell him that his client passed away. Adam couldn't tell anyone how hard he would cry when he woke up in the real world.

Which is why he could feel his anxiety pushing against his chest and stirring in his gut furiously. He approached Lance cautiously, shoulders tense. 

“Lance?”

The mentioned boy looked up at Adam and smiled quickly. His blue eyes shone with recognition upon sighting him and he swore his brown hair jumped a little. 

Lance looked extremely young for his age. He looked about 18 years old, his smooth skin 

practically glowing in the peak of age. He had deep blue eyes as well but not nearly as striking at Allura's were. He had short silky white hair and dark skin. His whole body was covered in white markings and lines up his body and two blue triangles on his upper cheeks similar to Allura. He was lanky and tall, barely shorter than Adam who was 24. When asked about his age, he would say he's a century too old followed by a dramatic sigh. Despite his slight mystery, he was very bubbly and took a liking to Adam immediately which he was grateful for.

“Adam! Hey!”

“Hey… About… Doris…”. _You know, Doris? Sweet little old lady with short black hair?_ _Used to dance in the 60s and loved traveling?_

Lance's face twisted in confusion before a light popped in his eyes. His triangles flickered.

“Oh! Yes, yes, come with me.”

He grabbed his mug and took a large gulp before grabbing a few papers and walking

briskly towards the offices. He followed behind him hesitantly. This usually happened when Adam got a new client but Lance was usually much more solemn which made the knots in his stomach tighten slightly.

Lance knocked gingerly on the dark blue door with the name “Allura” engraved at the top in classy gold letters. He opened it and stuck his head in, announcing Adam’s presence. 

“Alright, go on in.”, Lance must have been able to see the discomfort on Adam’s face because he smiled kindly and lightly punched his arm. “You’re supposed to smile when you see the boss, dude. Don’t worry so much.” With that he skipped away, humming Ariana Grande as he went.

Adam entered quietly and sat across from Allura who was on the phone talking rapidly with her hands. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail despite the waterfall of hair that shouldn’t possibly be able to fit in a rubber band. 

“Tell Lotor to have the new nightmare reports for Catra on my desk by tomorrow or else I’m 

relocating him and giving her to Adora! I don’t care what he thinks is best, that’s not his call. And tell him that we may not have HR but if he sends me flowers one more time he will be having nightmares for the next month!”

Allura slammed the phone down with a single click and huffed. She ran a hand down her hair, smoothing the white frizzies down into slick strands. She finally looked at Adam and smiled, her eyes lighting up slightly.

“Adam, hello. I’m so glad to see someone I can tolerate today.”

“Thank you? Is this about Doris? Is she okay?”

Allura waved him and grabbed a folder from her file cabinet. She slid in front of him and opened it slowly.

“Doris is fine. She’s actually getting better and her family is starting to visit her. We’ve decided 

to give her light wispy dreams for the meantime. It’s good to balance the good in her real life and dream life per se.”

Adam let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, feeling color return to his face. He was so glad she was okay. 

“So I’m guessing I’m getting a new client.”

“Why yes. Yes, you are.” Allura smiled mischievously, her chin resting in between her two hands. “You have a client, unlike one you’ve had before.”

“How exactly?”

Allura smiled and opened the file. 

“Meet Takashi Shirogane.”

Her hands pointed at the picture of a young man with pale skin and jet black hair. He had a sharp jawline and beautiful dark eyes. He had a scar across his nose and white strip of hair hidden in between the seams of his head. He wore a form-fitted white shirt with a black tie. His whole body looked hard and rough but the way he carried himself seemed gentle and soft. 

“Takashi Shirogane is a 26-year-old teacher at Garrison High School. He goes by Shiro. He lives with his brother Keith Kogane and their black lab, Kosmo. He’s very kind and known to be an all-around liked guy. However, he has a bit of trauma from a fire that killed his parents a while ago leaving only him and his brother alive. With the responsibility of taking care of his brother, dealing with his own anxiety, and still balancing his work life with his social life, he is a bit spread thin. He’s had terrible nightmares for a long time and we wanted to counter those.”

Adam gaped at the man once more and looked at Allura, a tad dumbfounded. He had never had a client that was his age, let alone someone in Shiro’s case. 

“Are you sure I am qualified for this?”

“Well we will get to that in a moment but I do need to convey a new protocol for you. As you know we give out dreams but there is a place that gives out nightmares.”

Adam, of course, knew nightmares existed, he had many of them before but he hadn’t ever 

thought that there could be a similar system to dreams as there were to nightmares. He thought nightmares were just liked wispy dreams that didn't make any sense. Those dreams weren’t given by this corporation but just conjured by one's own mind. It’s only the ones that feel real the next morning that they make. 

“Why would they make nightmares?”

“It started as a way to warn the people about danger but after Zarkon took over as the new CEO, it started to be more of a way to mentally torture people. That’s why we take cases where people have crippling nightmares. We want to get rid of their effect as much as we can. That’s why we need to teach you a new protocol. Shiro’s dream won’t be what you are used to. The same rules apply where the dream gives you a metaphorical script but you won’t always know 100% of what to do. With Doris, you could predict what she wanted easily because of her open atmosphere but Shiro is used to not trusting his mind when he falls asleep. He has a guard so you’ll have to navigate yourself on what will help break down his walls and help him open up.”

“How do I do that?”, Adam cocked his head to the side, still looking through Shiro’s file. 

“Well, that will be up to you. This is just like gaining the trust of a friend! Except instead of talking to them you will be catering to their every need in order to ease their mental state while sleeping.”

“So nothing like just helping a friend.”

“Yes, I am not sure what it’s like to help a friend. I haven’t had a real one is a millennium.”

Adam chuckled uneasily. “It may be time to get back out there.”

Allura huffed and took out a big packet and slid it across the table. 

“In order to do this job, you will need to sign this contract saying you understand the conditions and risks.”

“Risks?”

“Well..”, Allura pursued her lips and clasped her hands together, “...There is a slight possibility that you in the case of a failure that you could permanently damage your client.”

“What? How!?”

“It’s just if the nightmares get worse instead of getting better but I myself will step in if it gets that serious so try not to worry too much.” Adam nodded slightly and grabbed the thick packet. This was going to be a bitch to read. “Just give Lance the packet tomorrow and we will get you started. Good luck, Adam Wright.”

Adam felt his vision blur, the bright colors of Allura’s face morphing and fading before it all went black.

 

XXX

 

Adam shot up in bed to the sound of his buzzer ringing aggressively. He lazily grabbed his glasses and trudged to his door, pressing the red button.

“What?”, he croaked out, his voice still rough from sleep.

“Wow, that was sexy. Thank you for that. The front desk told me to give your mail so open the door, you prick”, the voice from the other side chirped. Adam groaned and buzzed him in. He unlocked the door and walked to his couch, dumping himself on top of it. His front door busted open, the smell of weed and doughnuts wafting into his apartment. Ew.

“What the fuck, Matt? You reek of weed.”

The devil himself, Matthew Holt, flopped on the couch beside him with a coffee and a chocolate glazed doughnut in his hands. 

“I brought you a peace offering.”

Adam snatched both from his hands and sipped the coffee. Ugh, there had to be at least twenty packets of sugar in this singular coffee. Matt had the worst sweet tooth and Adam drank coffee black on a good day. 

“I can see the disgust on your face, edgelord. Not all of us can drink straight black coffee. I’m still sure you’re a demon.”

Dream demon that was. 

Adam had never told anyone about his job before. It was apart of his contract he signed that said he wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about that world. He had told everyone he worked the night shift as a security guard and people didn’t tend to ask where. Except for Matt. He asked all the time and Adam always changed the topic.

“Give me my mail, Holt.”

“What kind of package doesn’t have a return address? Be honest, Adam. Are you a hitman?”

“I’d have to be a hell of a hitman to not get caught, Matt.”, he grabbed the package and set it on his counter. 

“You not telling me your job is only going to make me so much more curious as to what you do. Cmon, Adam! I’ve known you for a whole six months! I should know.”

Adam had met Matt in his night class. They sat next to each other for a group project and decided that they liked each other. Adam didn’t have many friends around anyway. He only needs a few more credits before he can get his degree although now it’s slightly useless considering his new gig is a lot more secure. He kept saying anyway. He figured it would be a nice thing to fall back on but he was living pretty lavish at the moment. Not to mention it would raise a few eyebrows if he suddenly quit school after working since he was 20 to get it. 

“What are you even doing here?”

“I had to make some arrangements for my bud. He’s moving in your building in a few months and I was just settling some on the finals for him in the meantime.”

Adam hummed and sat up, realizing at once that he was only in his boxers. He shuffled into his room to change, ignoring Matt’s catcall.

“I don’t know why you haven’t got out there yet. I mean you got a solid face and as an honorary bisexual, I can say you have a rocking bod.”

“Honorary bisexual?”

“Guys are hot but I’ve only kissed one once before and we both decided it was a terrible idea. Then his brother walked in. That was awkward. Anyway, I’m still unsure of whether or not I’m into them or not.”

Adam stared at him for a moment before deciding he didn’t really want to know and sat down on the couch in a soft brown sweater and jeans. 

“Seriously though. How come you aren’t dating or anything?”

Adam felt his throat tighten.

“Just not very interested.”

Matt clicked his tongue and leaned back. Adam could tell he didn’t believe him and honestly, he didn’t blame him. He had done the relationship thing before and it just never really worked out before. He wasn’t eager to try it again.

“I could always… set you up-”

Adam rubbed his temples, “No, absolutely not.”

“Why not? Come on-”

“If they are anything like you then I definitely don’t want that.”

“That would sting more if your hair wasn’t sticking up.”

“Get out of my house, Holt.”, Adam pushed the shorter man with his elbow, sipping his coffee. 

“You’re lucky I have to go to work, you troll. I don’t want to be in your house made by your assassin job anyway.”, Matt jumped off the couch and sprang to the door.

“I’m not an assassin!”

“That’s exactly what an assassin would say!”, Matt called before shutting the door.

Adam decided to sleep for another hour.

 

XXX

_Adam gripped the railing lightly as he felt two arms wrap around his waist. The sky was dark with millions of lights flashing back at him. He had been counting them individually in his head, seeing how far he could count before he ran out of stars or numbers.  He smiled absently and leaned back to rest his head on the taller man’s shoulder._

_“What are you doing?”, he felt the soft hum come from the man behind him as he tightened the embrace._

_“Watching the stars.”, Adam answered honestly._

_“Why?”_

_“I’m waiting for a shooting star.”_

_“How do you know you’ll see one?”_

_“I don’t. I guess I just hope I do.”_

_The bigger man chuckled dragged a firm hand down Adam’s arm and turned his chin to face him._

_“Well rather than wait for something that has a very low chance of happening, why don’t we do something else?”_

_“What do you have in mind?”_

_“Something a little more certain.”_

_Adam closed his eyes and leaned in slightly, feeling the other’s soft lips close on his. For a second everything seemed fine._

 

XXX

 

Adam sat up with a slight gasp, rubbing at his eyes. Despite knowing exactly where dreams came from, he was surprised to find he still had them on the nights he didn’t work. He asked Lance about it once or twice but each time Lance ignored his question or said not to think too much. Actually, now that he thinks about, everyone in the Hub tells him not to think too much yet they always seem stressed. 

Adam pushed the thought from his mind and ran a hand through his hair. He picked up

the thick white package in front of him, tearing it open with his teeth. Inside was a large contract that Adam knew he probably would skim. 

“...Agreeing to be a dream assistant to one who is fighting past nightmares includes acknowledging the risk of damaging the client’s mental state, being heavily affected by the nightmares, being absorbed or restrained by the nightmares, and other harms to you and your client...”, Adam read in a ton that got more unsteady as he finished. He gulped slightly. He hopes this wasn’t a mistake. “By signing this contract, you are agreeing not to ever associate with your client in the real world or admit the existence of the dream world to any person not hired by our association.”

Adam nodded to himself, grabbing a pen from his desk and signing the contract neatly. He was a tad nervous but he knew Allura wouldn’t trust him with this if he wasn’t ready. He had read most of it before. He remembered reading something about sex dreams and promptly freezing up. He had asked Lance about them and he said they were extremely rare and Adam didn’t need to consent to them if he didn’t want to. He was very grateful. 

Sex was one thing. Sex with old ladies...that was worse. 

Speaking of Lance, Adam signed the final line with a swift loop and immediately heard the doorbell ring. He rolled his eyes slightly and smiled, grabbing the contract and walking to his door. Matt’s distant words echoed in his head and he flattened his hair slightly before opening his door.

“Just on time.”

“As usual, Adam.”

Lance in the real world was not nearly as striking. His white hair had turned a chocolate brown and his markings had completely disappeared. The only thing that carried were the deep blue offset of his eyes and the same perky smile. He wore a gray hoodie under his light denim jacket and ripped black jeans. He smiled and took the contract from Adam’s hands.

“I did the liberty of making you a handbook for your new client.”, he handed Adam a book titled “TAKASHI SHIROGANE”. It looked like an actual novel.

“You’ve never written me one before. Why now?”

“Well, you’re going in blindly! I thought it could be something to refer to. Plus after living for a millennia or two, you get bored.”

Adam opened the book, skimming through it before noticing a trend of the same boy with long black hair and fair skin repeatedly. He quirked an eyebrow at pictures before looking up at Lance with the same look.

“I’m sure it has nothing to do with Shiro’s younger brother? What was it again?”

“Keith Kogane, 21 years old, long black hair into a mullet that shouldn’t be attractive,  drives a Yamaha V Star 250 Cruiser, likes pineapple on pizza, is a Scorpio but has Capricorn traits, and has some serious muscle-”

Lance coughed into his hand and looked at Adam, sheepishly.

“Lance, aren’t you a billion years old?”

“First of all, he’s 21. Second of all, I’m not a billion years old. Third of all, I’m only old to you. I’ve been 22 for centuries. Fourth of all, I’m forbidden to have a relationship with a human boy so let me obsess over yours and suffer.” He let out a strong huff as Adam chuckled. 

“Thank you, Lance. I’ll refer to this.”

Lance pouted slightly and sighed. He straightened himself out and shoved Adam’s contract in his backpack.     

“Yeah, yeah. Your first shift is tonight.”

Adam nodded and closed the door as Lance turned, humming Hayley Kiyoko this time. He would be lying if he said he didn’t open the door again knowing that Lance wouldn’t be there. He had a thing about disappearing right after he got his business done. The second time he met Adam, he disappeared in his house right in front of his. After explaining that randomly vanishing is terrifying, Lance promised to wait until he was out of sight. 

The handbook Lance gave him was too thick for Adam to read in one night but he liked being prepared so he started it as he played Mamma Mia in the background.

That was another one of Lance’s influences in his life. Matt was ecstatic. 

He may need new friends that are his age. 

 

XXX

 

Adam laid his head on his pillow. He took a deep breath and thought carefully about the Hub. He thought about Takashi Shirogane. He whispered under his breath as sleep began clouding his vision like a heavy blanket tying him to unconsciousness,

“Clocking in.”

 

Adam’s eyes shot open, he sat up and looked around him. Thunder cracked above of his head as rain poured on top of him. He was soaking wet and freezing, his fingers like ice on his arms. He clutched the cold ground, standing up quickly. He shivered under the thin layer of his now green and blue shirt, the colors swirling and changing as he looked at them. Good health and truth. That was what he was. He scanned the muddy terrain around him which had been drenched in water. 

His job had always felt slightly real but there was always a part of it that kept his mind clear that is wasn’t real. He counted his fingers, aware of the sixth finger on his hand that wasn’t usually there. He huffed under his breath, not used to a dream feeling this real. If this was Doris, he would wait and she would come to dance in the rain with him but this was different. The rain wasn’t comforting or refreshing. It was harsh and cold. It felt like knives on his skin.

All he could see for miles were hills and mountains covered in dead grass and fog. The entire area was flooded to the top with water. It looked like it started raining a year ago and never stopped. The area Adam was surrounded with was filled with water so deep that Adam couldn’t see the bottom.

Thunder clapped loudly at Adam, desperate for his attention. He listened, snapping his head towards the mountain. He saw the water coming like an avalanche, gradually building into an ocean as it comes down. He frantically looking for a sign of where he should go and saw a small building on a hill pile not too far from him.

Five minutes and this place is already trying to kill him. 

Adam huffed as if getting drowned by a dream-flood was just a minor inconvenience. He sighed and looked at the dark water in front of him. This was a terrible idea but he didn’t have another option. He plunged into the deep water, wincing immediately as the water hit his face. He channeled every bit of his experience in middle school swim team at that moment. He shouldn’t have quit. 

He felt his lungs seize at the ice coating his body as he swam. The flood poured into his area, pushing hips forward. Adam took in a big gulp of water, spiraling in the water. He swam to the top, coughing up the water as another wave hit him. Dark clouds and an abyss of water was all he could see in between breaths. He swam blindly as he pushed through the part of him that desperately wanted to let his body fill with water. 

His grabbed onto something solid in front of him and hoisted himself onto the land. He felt dry grass scrape his chin as he pulled himself again. He coughed up the water from his body before it was just throw up. If he wasn’t soaked before then he was drenched now. He looked behind him and saw the water return to itself, no longer itching for a taste of Adam’s skin.

“F-Fuck you.”, he gasped out.

He stood up and took in the small restaurant in front of him. It was quaint and quiet, vines covering the whole thing with red roses. The inside seemed dry but empty besides a faceless figure behind the counter and a man sitting in a booth by a window. 

That’s his guy. Adam opened the door and shuffled inside, feeling his clothes dry immediately. Dream logic. He walked over to the man by the booth and tapped lightly on the plain brown table. 

“Hey.”

It should be noted that Adam never appeared as Adam in dreams. He didn’t know his clients, they couldn’t see him. He often took the form of his previous clients partners or friends. Sometimes she was their grandchildren or even their parents. If he wasn’t meant to be someone close to the client in that dream then he was someone they had seen before whether that was the mailman or the cashier at Walmart or even their childhood neighbor. This is important because when Takashi looked at him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen, Adam had to make himself remember that he wasn’t seeing him. He was seeing someone else.

Someone sad.

Takashi Shirogane was so much more in person than he could ever be on paper. He had thick muscles on his arms that were covered by a thick jacket. His hair was like a void, so black that Adam felt like he could touch it and never be able to pull from it. His eyes were pools of smoke fuming and settling. His eyes looked at Adam hesitantly, raking him up and down.

“Hey.”

His voice was rough and ragged as if he had been crying for hours. Adam sat down slowly and looked out the window, staring down the storm.

“The storm doesn’t seem like it will let up for a while.”, Adam choked out, finding his voice somewhere in his throat. He noted that it still hurt to talk. “Think you can fix that?”

The man - was it, Shiro, that he liked to be called? - huffed and gave Adam a bittersweet look.

“I couldn’t stop that.”, he deadpanned. Adam tried not to fidget under his gaze, keeping his body still. He had to get this right.    

“Why not?”

“I can’t stop a storm, Brandon.”

Brandon. Adam remembered reading about him. He was Shiro’s childhood friend. He moved away when Shiro was ten, only a few years before his father’s passing.

“I heard about your dad. I heard about your mom.”, Adam edged over his words carefully.

Shiro’s head snapped back up, his body tensing.

“What...What did you hear?”

“They died. When you were eighteen, right?”, Adam felt the words flow out before he could think.

“It was my fault.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“It was.”

“How could it be?”

“I yelled at Mom and left. Keith chased after me being the kid he was but it was my fault. If I had stayed that night-”

“You all would be dead.”

Shiro brought his hands in closer and curled up in himself. The storm outside grew stronger. Adam saw a fire burning behind Shiro’s eyes, suddenly aware of where the smoke in them came from. 

“Should I be dead? Brandon, should I be alive?”, his eyes begged for an answer. They were hazy, confused. Lost.

“You are exactly where you are supposed to be.”

“I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know what’s right. Raising Keith was a disaster.”

“He loves you.”

Shiro let out a laugh but there wasn’t any humor in it. 

“He has to.”

“He doesn’t blame you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know you.”. He didn’t but he suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to know everything about him. “You’re good.”

“I’m nice. Nice isn’t always good.”

“You are going to tell me that you putting yourself aside to raise your baby brother isn’t good? You are going to tell me that giving up your dreams for something more important wasn’t good?” Adam couldn’t stop himself from reaching out. He touched Shiro’s face lightly. He stiffened at the contact before sighing into it as if he hadn’t been touched in a century. “This has gone on long enough, Takashi.”

Shiro looked at him with a strange look at the sound of his name.

“What?”

“They need you, Takashi. The world needs you. I won’t let you burn.”

Shiro stared at him, tears forming the corner of his eyes. He suddenly looked up before darting out of his seat and running out of the restaurant. Adam followed him and stared at the land. The water began freezing, turning into thick pools of ice. White fluff had started falling from the sky, covering the trees and the ground. The snow melted on his skin but it wasn’t cold. It was warm. It was soft.

The other man held a hand out and watched the snow melt in his palm.

“But-but The storm-I”, Shiro couldn’t fathom words, settling for a few after a few minutes. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s change, Takashi.”, Adam said calmly. He remembered it from a past dream. Snow melting. It meant everything was changing. 

“Change?”

Adam paused. He grabbed Shiro’s hand.

“The good kind.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Would you like to understand or would you like to play in the snow?”

Adam saw the flash of light behind Shiro’s eyes. The smoke settling. He didn’t smile but the joy was clear in his pupils. He ran towards the snow, reaching for the flakes that fell in front of his face. 

The storm was still there, he could make it out beyond the mountains. It hissed at Adam. He was a threat. He was proud to be one. He smirked at the storm as something cold hit his face. Shiro had a ball of snow in his hand, tossing it up and down threateningly.

“Oh, that’s a challenge!”

Adam enjoyed himself more than he thought he ever could that night.

 

XXX

  
  


“Shiro-! Shiro, holy shit, wake up!”

Something soft hit him in the face and he instantly covered his face. He sat up, surprised not to see or feel the piles of snow and instead his bedroom.

“What-? Where am I?”

Keith was standing next to the bed with his arms folded. He had an annoyed look on his face that was laced with concern.

“At home? You’ve been sleeping all day and I thought I’d just let you have this but your phone won’t stop ringing.”

“Why didn’t you just answer it?”

“It’s your work. Also, I avoid phone calls when they come from MY phone. What were you dreaming about anyway? You kept muttering in your sleep.”

Shiro rubbed at his eyes, recalling the events of last night. They hadn't’ been real. He knew this. Yet, he hadn’t even experienced anything like it. It felt too real.

“Snow. I dreamt of snow.”

“Better than nightmares, I guess.”, this time Keith’s voice had gone softer. “Anyway, call your work.”

Shiro grabbed his phone and looked at the 11:47 timestamp blinking brightly at him. He hadn’t slept that long in years. He looked at his ceiling absentmindedly.

“Change. The good kind.”

Things changed that day for Takashi Shirogane. 

Things would never be the same for Adam Wright.

  
  



	2. Vulnerable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam may have waited a little too long.
> 
> This chapter has a slight mention of blood but its not excessive but just be warned!

Based on the reactions Shiro got when he walked in on Monday morning, you’d think he had been abducted by aliens and returned with a floating metal arm. For the first time since he had started working at Garrison High School, he had slept in and been late. In fact, he was so late that he missed his first three classes. When he called the school they said it was the first time he’d had ever messed up so they let him off the hook. He was usually at the school earlier than anyone else and did extensive extra things with the school so they all figured it was a fluke.

However, now Shiro showed up to work half an hour before school started at 8:00 rather than usually being here at 5:30. Not to mention he looked the least exhausted than he ever had in years. The black bags nonexistent under his eyes and his whole walk radiating energy. 

“Good morning, Coran.”, Shiro beamed, grabbing a water bottle rather than a cup of coffee. His “#1 Big Brother” mug Keith got him for his birthday glared at him.

“You’re usually chipper this morning! Put something in your coffee?”, he pipped. Coran was an interesting guy who had bright orange hair and thick handlebar mustache. He was older but had the energy of a six-year-old in a candy store. He was quirky and interesting in his own way, making Shiro’s mornings a little more bearable. He taught Engineering I, II, and III in the lower floor.

“I had the best sleep last night. I’ve been sleeping amazingly since Friday.”

“What happened on Friday?”

Shiro hesitated, he didn’t talk about his nightmares as they were always too personal. He didn’t know how to say that he went from waking up in a cold sweat at midnight to waking up in the afternoon. 

“I don’t know but when I fell asleep I had the best dream.”

“Do tell, Mr. Shirogane.”, a kinder voice came from behind.

“Good morning, Romelle.”

Romelle was a government teacher that Shiro met as she is placed next to his classroom. They had become mild friends and she was often lingering for the latest gossip in the teacher’s lounge. She had long blonde hair that was usually tied up in a ponytail or a bun. He had only seen her wear it down at a Christmas party they attended and it had ended up in twintails by the end of the night. She was fairly short and usually wore soft colors.

“Come on, Shiro. I’m curious. The office administration is convinced you were cloned.”

“Okay fine. So I was sitting in a coffee shop in my dream while watching a storm outside when someone came in and sat next to me. I think it was a Brandon, we were friends when we were little until he moved. Anyway, he was just talking to me when I noticed the storm stopped so I ran out and it was suddenly snowing but the snow wasn’t even cold. It was strangely warm? And I don’t know, it was like the whole atmosphere changed. I felt like a kid. Not a care in the world, just playing in the snow until I woke up hours late to work.”

“Storms signify emotional and mental turmoil but snow can mean a number of things…”, Romelle hummed and pulled a small pocketbook out of her jacket. Shiro knew she was really into this stuff. Dreams, Zodiac Signs, Wishes, Urban legends, the works. “Snow in your case could mean change especially since the weather changed.”

“Wait, yes! He said it was changed when we saw the snow. ‘The good kind’”

“Well, it looks like you got a guardian angel!”, Romelle's face lit up significantly.

“Pish posh, guardian angels don’t exist. It’s simply Shiro’s own brain telling him about his own inner thoughts.”, Coran waved away Romelle’s ideas.

“You are no fun.”

Shiro laughed and took a sip of his water before making his way towards the exit, “Well, while you two discuss my fate, I’ll be teaching the first hour.”

Shiro had never really believed in superstitious things but if there was a guardian angel helping him sleep, he was grateful. He had been having nightmares since the fire that killed both of his parents. They used to be really bad, definitely worse than they are now.  He had learned how to handle them. Sometimes he’d wake up in the night feeling scorched but would put his head back onto his pillow and dream again. Other times he would wake up screaming and crying, muffling his panic with his hand so he wouldn’t wake up Keith. He would calm himself down and play music until he felt tired again but most of the time he would stare at the ceiling until the sun rose behind his curtains. 

Then there were nights that he didn’t mind too much. The nights where he’d wake up with a gasp and realize where he was. He’d hear the faint sound of Keith’s phone streaming an endless beat, slow and steady, from his bedroom next door. He’d hear the ticking of the clock in the kitchen, inching further and further into the morning. He would feel the cold wood under his feet as he trudged to the balcony, hearing Cosmo wake up and shuffle behind him with worry. He would sit on the balcony until he saw the sky turning blue to pink to a beautiful shade of orange with a cold cup of coffee. Eventually, Keith would wake up and sit next to him, not saying a word, letting the silent knowing fill the air.

He didn’t have nightmares every night but he never slept well. It was almost like his subconscious was walking on eggshells, ready to jolt itself awake at the mere possibility that something could harm Shiro. But everything felt different from the dream he had the other night. 

Shiro still didn’t feel fully safe as if his mind was convinced that the nice dream was a trick but he felt more at ease and a lot less exhausted. Maybe it was temporary relief as with everything piling up. He’d been stressed lately but now he hadn’t been dreading sleep and allowing himself to sink into it a bit. A majority of him felt this was a fluke but it's been a few days since the dream and he’s slept like a champ. He’s hoping it’s not.

He really hopes it not.

XXX

Adam hadn’t finished the book Lance made it. How could he? He had skipped the fire on the first night, figuring it would be relevant, but after that, he just started from the beginning. Lance told him it would be best to do Shiro’s dreams in intervals, each a few days apart, to refrain from overwhelming him. He had spent the last few days reading about Shiro. His past, his present, his tragedies, his successes, his whole life up until his moment laid out like a biography in front of him. It was very detailed with dozens of stories that apparently changed him as a whole.

He had always loved books but this was a different sentiment. He was completely engulfed in Shiro’s story. Every time he put down the book to get coffee or use the bathroom or sleep or take a shower, he felt pulled back to it. Something about reading about another’s life, completely uncensored, was addicting to Adam. 

Maybe there was a part of him that missed doing that.

He was completely encompassed in the Shiro’s high school years when the doorbell rang. Adam’s head flung up as he scrambled to hide the book, running into his room and shoving the book under his bed.

“Coming!”

Adam opened his door only to be immediately pushed past as a small girl ran, jumping into his couch. Matt rolled his eyes and waved, allowing Adam to move out of the way for him.

“So I see Pidge is still making herself at home.”, Adam closed his door before moving to sit on the edge of the couch. 

“Sorry, she insisted on coming with me today.”

Pidge made a small noise, grabbing the light throw blanket and curling in it. 

“Whatever, I’m the one who brought Scott Pilgrim vs The World.”

What is the movie night? Already? Every Tuesday, Matt and his little sister Pidge would come over and watch whatever movie they decided on. It had started about a month into their friendship when Matt nearly cried in class because he had never seen 10 Things I Hate About You, which he said was the cheesiest movie he’d ever seen. Adam may have watched it ten more times within the next week. Matt kept coming up with an excuse for a movie and that was essentially how he slotted himself into Adam’s life. He was introduced to a Pidge along with a plethora of classic rom-coms and sci-fis that he’d never heard. He’d never had an appreciation for movies but he started connecting then to his job and they actually helped him a lot.

The Holts usually insisted on ordering food but Adam always cooked, concerned about the number of ramen noodles and pizza they consumed every day. However, Adam had been reading Shiro’s literal timeline nonstop for the past four days that he forgot all about it. That meant he missed class on Saturday, he really hoped his professor didn’t kick him for that. 

“I see you didn’t cook so I’m guessing you’ve finally caved to takeout?”, Matt smirked, throwing himself next to Pidge, yanking the blanket off of her. She let out a yelp and clawed for them back.

Adam sighed and pulled out his phone, sliding next to his friend.

“What do you two want?”

The Holts cheered and started discussing what to leach out from Adam’s wallet but he really couldn’t care less as he started to drift into his thoughts, still wondering about Shiro’s past. 

XX

_ “Thank you for meeting me, Mr. Wright.” _

_ Adam took the thin hand reached out, shaking it lightly and sitting down in the restaurant booth.  _

_ “Please, call me Adam.” _

_ She gave him a short smile, her lips strained with the bit of stress eating at her mind. She had long rusted hair, curl and wiry all the way down to his hips. She wore a light pink dress and lip gloss, dressed up to make a good first impression.  _

_ She cleared her throat, refraining from twiddling her fingers.  _

_ “I assume you understand why I am here.” _

_ Adam knew what she meant. She had messaged him and asked him to meet up but that why he agreed to meet her. There was an implicit understanding, a knowing, that things hadn’t been churning in Adam’s brain for a long time. _

_ He nodded. _

_ “I dated Arthur in college. I really trusted him. He’s good at making you feel safe with him. I had no idea… what was going on.” _

_ Adam bit his lip. He wishes she would just get on with it. That she would skip the reassurance and not bother trying to spare his feelings. He wishes she would tell him bluntly what Arthur was doing but of course, he sat there, faking patience. _

_ “I have records of other women and men saying the same thing. When I found out he was with you, I wanted to warn you before things got too serious to back out.” _

_ She pulled a small notebook and took a nervous gulp from her glass of lemonade. _

_ “Let’s talk about your fiance, Mr. Wright.” _

XX

Shiro sat in his living room, tapping his watch expectantly. It was already 10 and Keith wasn’t home. 

He knew that Keith an adult and he knew that he could take care of himself. However, he can’t help but worry about him. 

Keith was 13 when their parents died. Shiro had just turned 18 and he honestly didn’t know what the hell he was doing. He had barely graduated high school and now he had full custody over his little brother, no house, and no job. They were giving a small settlement, enough to rent for a while. Shiro had given up his scholarship to his dream school in order to get two full-time jobs, one during the night and one during the day. He was home in the mornings to drive Keith to school and a bit in the evening to make dinner. He got his degree when he was 24 when he got his Bachelor's degree and started teaching, not making a lot of money but enough to quit his other jobs. 

He had been so busy making sure that Keith was alive that he didn’t make sure he was happy.  He was so busy making sure they had a roof that he didn’t ask Keith if he was okay. He regrets it every day, blaming himself for all the trouble he got himself into. He’ll never forget finding Keith curled up outside their house, shivering and throwing up. They didn’t even talk about it until then because everytime Shiro tried to say something, Keith would push him further and further away.

So, Shiro sat in silence. He tried to keep his eyes from closing completely but he was exhausted. Falling asleep was scary. Beyond his eyelids were terrifying things. Things that voices thoughts he would never admit out loud. And yet, falling asleep wasn’t hard. Staying asleep was tough but drifting off and melting into his mind was too easy. He was supposed to stay awake. He was supposed to make sure Keith was okay. And yet, he felt his limbs go soft and his mind swirl until he lost consciousness.

XX

The Holts were shooed out of his house as soon as the movie ended. Adam made some quick excuse about not feeling well before they were pushed out. Adam threw his sweats off, realizing he had been wearing them for far too long. He flopped on his bed, not bothering to pull the covers on. It was already 10:30 and Adam feared he might have missed the mark. If he waited another day to come back, Shiro could have another nightmare and as much as Adam loved fighting for his life, he wanted this to go smoothly.

“Clocking in.”

Adam’s eyes shot open although he open and closed a few more times to make sure they were open. He had to look down at himself to realize that he was seeing, looking at his hands next to the void of color. All Adam could see was darkness so black that it felt thick like molasses. He couldn’t see a foot in front of his face, only able to see himself through a thin light-emitting around him. 

He felt his throat constrict, unable to breathe properly. A few breaths were manageable but he felt like he was running out of air, rapidly at that. He needed to find Shiro before that happened. He didn’t want to find out what would happen if he passed out in a dream world.

Adam wandered around, listening for even the slightest sound. At some point he tore a piece of his shirt off, leaving it on the ground and walking again. What felt like twenty minutes past of endless walking and he saw the piece of white fabric dissolving at his feet. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, his chest whining at the lack of air. He couldn’t help a flare of anger in his chest but he quickly pushed it down, knowing full well how worried he truly was. 

Maybe he didn’t know Shiro, not really. But he couldn’t help feel a pull from him. It was the same way with every person he had served. It was similar to watching a show or reading a book, falling in love with a character. You watch every episode or read every chapter; You know the character better than anyone. You know the thoughts they don’t voice. You know their whole past and their present and suddenly you are hooked. You watch their movement and silently wish they were real. You know about the things they love, the places they call home, the people they call family, and you know that they deserve more than given. You are ecstatic to learn about their future and what they will do next. You find yourself crying when you say goodbye.

Except Shiro was real. These people that Adam had the pleasure of helping were real. Everything he learned about them had really happened. Adam knew more about these people more than anyone else. It was why he cried into his hands when they died. It was why his heart broke when he knew that they would never know that someone, someone like him, was in their corner up until the end. It was why he couldn’t help but get attached.

So, yeah. Adam was worried about Shiro. He was worried about ruining such an amazing person. 

He pushed his thoughts away, concentrating on a different name. 

Loving the sound of his name, Lance appeared next to him. His white getup contrasted against the darkness blindingly so. The blue marks on his cheeks chittered as he saw Adam, his lips pursed in a frown.

“You’re a little late, Wright.”

“Not entirely in the mood for witty, Lance. Can you help me out here?”, he wheezed out, aware of the hoarseness in his voice.

Lance grumbled, tapping at a small tablet that appeared in his hands. 

“Being late isn’t a good look for you but don’t listen to me! I’m just your supervisor, what do I matter?”, he mumbled 

Lance started walking, a light beaming around him. Adam followed behind hesitantly. They made odd steps and turns, Lance jerking at random angles while grumbling all the while. They came to a stop when the man hissed, touching his cheeks gently. They had begun turning a deep shade of purple. He pointed ahead and Adam noticed a small thing in the distance. He was able to make out a cage of some sort when Lance whirled to him. 

“Do not take your eyes off him or you will lose him. The nightmares are fighting you, they set up a trap in the darkness to keep you in an endless loop.”

“Lance, what’s happening to you?”, he pointed to his marks, swelling a bit.

“I’m not supposed to be here. I’m dream folk. Nightmares hurt me and I’ve been here too long. I have to go but I trust you can take care of this.”

“Yes and Lance? Thank you. I really appreciate what you do.”

Lance smiled, warmth blooming in his chest at the praise. He swiped on his tablet and disappeared in chunks of pixels.

Adam breathed deeply, his lungs burning slightly. He kept his sights on Shiro and ran.

XX

Shiro rubbed his eyes and breathed heavily. He doesn’t how long he’d been here but the air around him seemed to get thinner and thinner. It didn’t help that he would hiccup every five seconds. His eyes stung as wiped away another set of tears, trying to steady his breath. His body was wracked with sobs and he tried to desperately to stop.

He pulled at the shackles on his wrists, bounding his hands together. They are been choking his wrists as they got tighter. The thick metal seemed to tighten with every pull and movement, only loosening when Shiro let out another sob. 

“Shiro!”

Shiro looked up and gasped out at the sight.

Keith was in front of him in his usual red hoodie and jeans. He reached out to touch the cage, reeling back as soon his fingers touched it. 

“Keith? What are you doing here?”

Keith blinked at him, almost taken back by his own name. Keith stared at him as if trying to figure out what to say. He looked lost for a second, a look that was foreign to Shiro, before sitting across from him. Regaining his usual direction, he pointed to the chains around his wrists.

“What are those?”, his voice was hoarse and forced.

Shiro glanced down at them and tugging at them again. He hissed when they tightened.

“They hurt. They keep getting tighter.”

Recognition flashed behind his eyes.

“I can’t breathe, Shiro.”, he said after a beat of silence.

“Me neither. O-once I get out of here, I’ll help.I just-”, Shiro pulled at the chains again and again. “I just need to get- fuck- OUT!”.

He was yanking now, his fingernails scratching wildly at his skin. Tears started pulling at his eyes, threatening to spill over as he clawed at the metal. He felt his breathing get quicker and quicker, aware of the panic bubbling like bile in his stomach. Two hands pulled his hands away from his chains. He snapped his head up to look at Keith.

“Can you?”

Shiro stared at him.

“Of course I can.”

But his voice betrayed him. 

He couldn’t.

XX

_ Adam slammed the door to his house. His head felt heavy on his shoulders. He tossed his book bag to the side and stalked into the home.  _

_ He ran into the kitchen, opening every cabinet and shoving out the dishes. Glass clattered to the ground and shattered. Plastic bowls and plates bounced around like an earthquake. Adam painted and opened all the drawers, ravaging the cupboards rapidly. His hand landed on a shattered piece of glass, blood seeping down his finger. He hissed and ignored it.  _

_ The living room was so exception to the scavenge. Adam pulled pillow apart, feathers flying and beads hitting the wood floor. They chittered mockingly as he screamed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. He threw books, DVDs, VHS tapes, and games over his head after he’d opened all of them.  _

_ He ran into their study, pulling down paintings and portraits. More glass shattered on the ground, picture pulled apart from their frames. Adam paused upon sight of a picture of Arthur’s arm around them. He was kissing his face, Adam giggling and pushing at him playfully. He held a small whale under his arm that Arthur had won for him. _

_ Tears swam like waterfalls from Adam’s eyes as he kicked the chair next to him angrily and ripping the photo into a hundred pieces.  _

_ He ran, tripping over his feet at the desperation of himself, slamming the door to their bedroom. He made a beeline towards the whale plushie, perched on his dresser. It laughed at him. _

_ “He had 600, maybe 700 dollars, in it. It’s his escape money.” _

_ Adam ripped the whale apart, watching its head fall to the ground. The stuffing floating around as he ripped it open, his nails screaming in pain at the force.  _

_ “It’s there just in case he gets caught. Just in case something happens. So that if he gets caught, he can leave. He can run. He hid it in an old teapot I never used.” _

_ Adam shoved his hand inside the animal, rummaging around until he felt something thin. _

_ “The girls I spoke to said when he left they found a portrait was taken down or a bottle smashed but it was at the same. If he had it…” _

_ He reeled back, dropping the stuffed toy as it’s contents spilled on the tile. He dropped to his knees, staring in disbelief. _

_ “...Well then, he might do the same to you.” _

_ Hundred dollar bills fell on the floor like bullets shot from a gun. The only proof of what was ruined besides the body. Adam’s body. _

_ “I don’t want to offend you, Mr. Wright, but if you find the money… assume it’s not for a  rainy day.” _

_ While his house was in tatters, no one but the neighbors able to hear, Adam let out a shrill. He screamed until his voice was gone. He cried on the floor across from his failed relationship laying next to him until he passed out at sunset.  _

XX

Adam didn’t know what to do. 

He knew what everything represented, Shiro wasn’t being honest. There was something he needed to tell Keith but Adam didn’t know what. He hadn’t gotten this far in Lance’s book. 

“You can’t always protect me, Shiro.”

_ You can’t always protect Keith, Shiro. _

“I can try.”, Shiro’s eyes were locked onto his almost desperately.

“What about our mom? What about our dad?”

_ What about your parents? _

“What about them?”

Adam reached out and grabbed the bars.

“Did you ever get to cry?”

_ Did you ever get to mourn? _

Shiro opened his mouth to answer but choked on his own words. 

One thing he knew about Shiro was that he was the most self-sacrificing person he had ever heard of. From kindergarten until now, he always took care of everyone else. Adam couldn’t help but wonder if he was missing a piece to take care of him for a change.

“It doesn’t matter-”

“When are you going, to be honest with me, Shiro?”

_ When will you be vulnerable to your brother, Shiro? The only other person in the world who understands. _

Shiro began coughing into his hands.

“Keith-”

Arms wrapped around him, the cage vanishing like mist around him. Shiro froze. Adam pulled him tight. 

“Talk to your family, Shiro.”

Adam could feel the dream deteriorating around them, consciousness coming back. 

Something flashed in Shiro’s eyes when Adam let go before everything went dark.

XX

Shiro jolted awake at the door slam.

“Jesus, Shiro, why are you awake? I told you to stop doing this, I’m not a kid-”

Shiro stared at Keith, trying to adapt to reality, and stood up slowly. He walked over to Keith, grabbing his shirt and pulling him into a hug. 

“You have to- Shiro-!”

The older man just tightened his hug, waiting for Keith’s arms to slowly return the embrace.

“I miss mom and dad.”

Keith let out a shuddery breath.

Silence filled the room, eerie and familiar.

“Me too.”, Keith replied in a whisper. 

“I lost them so quickly. I never even thought to cry.”

“I know.”

“I don’t want to lose my brother, Keith.”

“You won’t.”

Shiro pulled away, looking at his only source of family. The words on his tongue felt heavy.

“I can’t stop seeing you the day I yelled at you.”

Keith stiffened, not expecting that, and looked at the ground.

“You were furious. But I’m not that kid anymore-”

“I was scared.”

Keith snapped his head up.

“What?”

“I was terrified. I had killed our parents and nearly let my brother die as well.”

Keith’s expression morphed into fury. 

“You did not kill our parents.”

“If I hadn’t yelled at her, maybe if I did something different-”

“Stop.”, Keith’s voice was ragged, angry tears seeping into the word. “You have done nothing wrong. Fuck, all you’ve ever done is protect me and try to help me. You missed out on a scholarship for me. I’m just a huge disappointment and you think you’re the bad brother?”

“I never regretted giving up that scholarship for you. Never. Not even for a second. I’ve been babying for ages because I’m so afraid all the time. You have never been a disappointment to me.”

Keith wiped at his eyes and let out a bittersweet laugh. 

“I guess we both suck at this communication thing, don’t we?”

Shiro rubbed at his temple.

“Unfortunately. Get to bed, nerd, before I ground you.”

“Whatever, dad..”

“Emo.”

“Grandpa.”

“Gay.”

“Oh like you are to talk.”

Shiro’s sleep was cage-less the rest of that night.

XX

“Hm.”

Lance replayed the moment he saw in Shiro’s dream in his head. He had been monitoring it when he noticed something interesting.

“Hey, Romelle?”

A girl with blond twintails and pink triangles, white swirling around her arms like vines, turned to look at him.

“Mhm?”

“Is it possible for a client to see their dream worker instead of someone they know?”

Romelle laughed, “Absolutely not. Only if they met before but dream workers are forbidden from meeting their clients.”

Lance hummed, remembering Shiro’s eyes.

“That’s what I thought.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on twitter @bisexualcallum


End file.
